Magellan Developmental Breadboard for GPS Receiver
Maker:
Magellan Systems Corporation
Physical Description:
plastic (overall material)
metal (overall material)
Measurements:
overall: 10 in x 23 in x 5 1/4 in; 25.4 cm x 58.42 cm x 13.335 cm
Object Name:
global positioning system component
Subject:
Time & Navigation
Measuring & Mapping
Credit Line:
from MITAC Digital Corporation through Michael Williams
ID Number:
2010.0154.01
Accession number:
2010.0154
Catalog number:
2010.0154.01
Description:
The Magellan Systems Corporation produced some of the earliest handheld GPS units for civilian use. In 1986 company engineers began experimenting with electronic mockups. This is the earliest “breadboard” receiver. Together with a keyboard (2010.0154.02) and power supply (2010.0154.03), this object was used to test circuitry and components at Magellan while developing the first civilian GPS receivers.
overall: 5 in x 8 3/4 in x 2 in; 12.7 cm x 22.225 cm x 5.08 cm
Object Name:
global positioning system receiver
Date made:
1988
Subject:
Time & Navigation
Measuring & Mapping
Credit Line:
from Gary Barta
ID Number:
2010.0118.01
Accession number:
2010.0118
Catalog number:
2010.0118.01
Description:
The Magellan Corporation, founded in 1986, worked to develop a handheld, battery-powered GPS receiver for the civilian market. Launched in 1988, the NAV 1000 was the first hand-held receiver introduced to the consumer market. Magellan anticipated that people would use these devices for hiking, boating and other recreational purposes.
Magellan Developmental Display Screen and Keyboard for GPS Receiver
Maker:
Magellan Systems Corporation
Physical Description:
plastic (overall material)
wood (overall material)
metal (overall material)
Measurements:
overall: 14 1/8 in x 4 1/2 in x 3 3/4 in; 35.8775 cm x 11.43 cm x 9.525 cm
Object Name:
global positioning system component
Subject:
Time & Navigation
Measuring & Mapping
Credit Line:
from MITAC Digital Corporation through Michael Williams
ID Number:
2010.0154.02
Accession number:
2010.0154
Catalog number:
2010.0154.02
Description:
The Magellan Systems Corporation produced some of the earliest handheld GPS units for civilian use. In 1986 company engineers began experimenting with electronic mockups. This is the earliest keyboard. Together with the "breadboard" (2010.0154.01) and power supply (2010.0154.03), this object was used to test circuitry and components at Magellan while developing the first civilian GPS receiver.
Magellan Developmental Power Supply for GPS Receiver
Maker:
Magellan Systems Corporation
Physical Description:
plastic (overall material)
metal (overall material)
Measurements:
overall: 2 7/8 in x 10 1/4 in x 4 in; 7.3025 cm x 26.035 cm x 10.16 cm
Object Name:
power supply
Subject:
Time & Navigation
Measuring & Mapping
Credit Line:
from MITAC Digital Corporation through Michael Williams
ID Number:
2010.0154.03
Accession number:
2010.0154
Catalog number:
2010.0154.03
Description:
The Magellan Systems Corporation produced some of the earliest handheld GPS units for civilian use. In 1986 company engineers began experimenting with electronic mockups. This is the earliest power supply unit. Together with a "breadboard" receiver (2010.0154.01) and a keyboard (2010.0154.02), this object was used to test circuitry and components at Magellan while developing the first civilian GPS receiver.
The Large Magellanic Cloud, known as the LMC, is a nearby satellite galaxy of our own Milky Way. At a distance of around 160,000 light-years, the LMC is the third closest galaxy to us. But the LMC is more than just a nice little sidekick.
Do not reproduce without permission from the Smithsonian Institution, National Air and Space Museum
Summary:
Magellan T. Bear became the first official teddy bear in space, flying as the "education specialist" aboard Space Shuttle Discovery on the STS-63 mission in February 1995. The bear's journey was part of an ambitious educational project to stimulate interest in geography, science, and social studies. Students and faculty of Elk Creek Elementary School in Pine, Colorado, worked with NASA and Spacehab to have the teddy bear certified for spaceflight. The school also arranged for the bear to fly around the world, visit the South Pole, fly on United Airlines' first Boeing 777 flight, and attend U.S. Space Camp. The cap was part of the bear's flight suit for these travels.
Presented to the National Air and Space Museum in May 1998 by librarian Penny Wiedeke and principal Jerry Williams, Magellan T. Bear is on display in the "How Things Fly" gallery.
Do not reproduce without permission from the Smithsonian Institution, National Air and Space Museum
Summary:
Magellan T. Bear became the first official teddy bear in space, flying as the "education specialist" aboard Space Shuttle Discovery on the STS-63 mission in February 1995. The bear's journey was part of an ambitious educational project to stimulate interest in geography, science, and social studies.
Students and faculty of Elk Creek Elementary School in Pine, Colorado, worked with NASA and Spacehab to have the teddy bear certified for spaceflight. The school also arranged for the bear to fly around the world, visit the South Pole, fly on United Airlines' first Boeing 777 flight, and attend U.S. Space Camp. The goggles were part of the bear's flight suit for these travels.
Presented to the National Air and Space Museum in May 1998 by librarian Penny Wiedeke and principal Jerry Williams, Magellan T. Bear is on display in the "How Things Fly" gallery.
Do not reproduce without permission from the Smithsonian Institution, National Air and Space Museum
Summary:
Magellan T. Bear became the first official teddy bear in space, flying as the "education specialist" aboard Space Shuttle Discovery on the STS-63 mission in February 1995. The bear's journey was part of an ambitious educational project to stimulate interest in geography, science, and social studies.
Students and faculty of Elk Creek Elementary School in Pine, Colorado, worked with NASA and Spacehab to have the teddy bear certified for spaceflight. The school also arranged for the bear to fly around the world, visit the South Pole, fly on United Airlines' first Boeing 777 flight, and attend U.S. Space Camp. This scarf is part of the aviator's suit worn by the bear on most of these travels.
Presented to the National Air and Space Museum in May 1998 by librarian Penny Wiedeke and principal Jerry Williams, Magellan T. Bear is on display in the "How Things Fly" gallery.
Do not reproduce without permission from the Smithsonian Institution, National Air and Space Museum
Summary:
This astronaut suit was made for Magellan T. Bear's flight as the first official teddy bear in space. The bear flew as the "education specialist" aboard Space Shuttle Discovery on the STS-63 mission in February 1995. The bear's journey was part of an ambitious educational project to stimulate interest in geography, science, and social studies.
Students and faculty of Elk Creek Elementary School in Pine, Colorado, worked with NASA and Spacehab to have the teddy bear certified for spaceflight. The school also arranged for the bear to fly around the world, visit the South Pole, fly on United Airlines' first Boeing 777 flight, and attend U.S. Space Camp.
Presented to the National Air and Space Museum in May 1998 by librarian Penny Wiedeke and principal Jerry Williams, Magellan T. Bear is on display in the "How Things Fly" gallery.
Do not reproduce without permission from the Smithsonian Institution, National Air and Space Museum
Summary:
This is the flight suit for the toy teddy bear Magellan T. Bear. Magellan T. Bear became the first official teddy bear in space, flying as the "education specialist" aboard Space Shuttle Discovery on the STS-63 mission in February 1995. The bear's journey was part of an ambitious educational project to stimulate interest in geography, science, and social studies. Students and faculty of Elk Creek Elementary School in Pine, Colorado, worked with NASA and Spacehab to have the teddy bear certified for spaceflight. The school also arranged for the bear to fly around the world, visit the South Pole, fly on United Airlines' first Boeing 777 flight, and attend U.S. Space Camp. The bear wore an aviator's suit for these travels but wore an astronaut suit for spaceflight. Presented to the National Air and Space Museum in May 1998, Magellan T. Bear has been on display in the "How Things Fly" gallery.
Do not reproduce without permission from the Smithsonian Institution, National Air and Space Museum
Summary:
This is one of the first early handheld Global Positioning System (GPS) receivers intended for civilian use. GPS is a navigational system that provides accurate and instantaneous position information to those equipped with receivers such as this one. The system relies on a set of 24 satellites placed in orbit approximately 18,000 km above the earth. Each satellite carries atomic clocks on board, and broadcasts a signal that is accurate to within 3 billionths of a second. GPS units are tuned to receive signals from these satellites, and if the receiver can lock on to at least four of them, it can determine its position and altitude on Earth.
This unit was donated to NASM by its manufacturer, the Magellan Corporation. It shows positional data in traditional latitude and longitude coordinates. More recent models incorporate that data into maps and other graphic informaiton that is more understandable to laypersons.
overall: 12 in x 8 1/2 in x 2 1/2 in; 30.48 cm x 21.59 cm x 6.35 cm
Object Name:
global positioning system receiver
Date made:
ca 1997
Subject:
Time & Navigation
Measuring & Mapping
Credit Line:
from Gary Barta
ID Number:
2010.0118.14
Accession number:
2010.0118
Catalog number:
2010.0118.14
Description:
In the late 1990s, Magellan released the first turn-by-turn navigation system for civilian drivers. The PathMaster hard-wired into a car, allowed users to see a map on a display screen and follow directions. The large computer received GPS data from an antenna and sent it to the display. A small card with a portable hard drive containing map data was inserted into the computer.
overall: 6 in x 5 1/2 in x 2 1/2 in; 15.24 cm x 13.97 cm x 6.35 cm
Object Name:
global positioning system receiver
global positioning system control unit
Date made:
ca 1997
Subject:
Time & Navigation
Measuring & Mapping
Credit Line:
from Gary Barta
ID Number:
2010.0118.13
Accession number:
2010.0118
Catalog number:
2010.0118.13
Description:
In the late 1990s, Magellan released the first turn-by-turn navigation system for civilian drivers. The PathMaster hard-wired into a car, allowed users to see a map on a display screen and follow directions. The large computer received GPS data from an antenna and sent it to the display. A small card with a portable hard drive containing map data was inserted into the computer.
